Glycerine Based Biofuel Composition and Method

ABSTRACT

Biofuel compositions and methods. Biofuel compositions comprised of glycerine, water and one or more alcohols can be prepared and utilized as an alternative or renewable fuel or mixed with other fuels and fuel products. The methods of preparation require simple mixing as the biofuel composition is a solution. The components can be mixed in any sequence. By varying the amount of water and/or alcohol mixed with the glycerine allows for preparation of biofuel compositions having consistent or uniform properties, such as pour point and/or flashpoint even using glycerine from different sources and having different specifications.

RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/347,940 filed May 25, 2010, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to biofuel compositions and methods of making biofuel compositions. More particularly, the present invention relates to glycerine-based biofuel compositions useful as an alternative fuel or as a fuel additive.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Currently, there is significant interest in and efforts to develop renewable fuel compositions, supplements and additives as alternatives to those derived from petroleum, such as gasoline, diesel fuel and the like. There has also been interest in developing renewable fuels that can be co-fired with other fuel sources such as coal, biomass or those derived from biomass.

One alternative that has been developed is biodiesel. Biodiesel is made utilizing the chemical reaction known as transesterification. In this reaction a vegetable oil or fat reacts with an esterifying agent, usually an alcohol (e.g., methanol or ethanol), with or without a catalyst and with the input of additional energy, normally at atmospheric pressure. The process principally forms fatty acid methyl esters (FAME, the chemical name for biodiesel) as the primary product and glycerin as a byproduct. Given the volume of biodiesel produced by the biodiesel industry, significant volumes of the glycerin byproduct is formed and may be processed for other uses or purified.

The following provides a sense of the volumes. The reported annual production capacity from biodiesel plants in the US is 2.69 billion gallons per year in 2010. The reported maximum production capacity does not represent how many gallons of biodiesel were actually produced at each plant. In fact, due to current economic conditions, the capacity utilization at many of these facilities is extremely low. In any case, the annual production of biodiesel is approximately 1.5 billion gallons world-wide; and the volume of glycerin produced is almost 60 million gallons only in the US and roughly 3.8 billion pounds annually in 2009 worldwide.

Glycerin, also referred to as glycerol, has a viscosity of about 4,100 cP (about 3,250 cSt) at 24° C. (75° F.). At this high viscosity, glycerin cannot be readily atomized and therefore cannot be readily used as a neat fuel. Without the input of heat energy to reduce the viscosity and improve atomization of the glycerin as a neat fuel would require energy input to pre-heating of the glycerin to above 71° C. (160° F.). Purified glycerin has a pour point (PP) of 17° C. (62° F.). Crude glycerine contains impurities such as ˜2-3 weight percent (wt %) methanol, ˜6-16 wt % water, ˜4-5 wt % salts and ˜1 wt % miscellaneous organics non-glycerol (MONG) and metals, e.g., Group I metals (Na+K) which may be present at a concentration higher than 10,000 mg/kg] Because of the methanol content, crude glycerin has a flash point (FP) of <27° C. (<80° F.). The energy content of glycerin typically will vary from 5,000 btu/lb for crude glycerin and up to 8,000 btu/lb for 99% USP glycerine depending upon the water content.

There are several technologies used to purify or refine crude glycerin, to remove salts, MONG, and heavy metals, e.g., such as simple treatment with resin technology. However, such technologies are not completely effective, particularly with respect to removal of methanol. Difficulties in refining crude glycerin can be further exacerbated by variations in content of impurities. The content of these impurities in crude glycerin can vary widely from biodiesel producer to biodiesel producer and from lot to lot. This variability can present challenges to the production of refined glycerin product having consistently uniform quality relative to desire levels of purification or customer quality specifications. The refinement or purification of crude glycerin has primarily been for use in the cosmetics or pharmaceutical markets.

The known chemical-physical processes used to purify crude glycerin for use in those markets are expensive. They can increase the cost of the final product by 2.5 to 3 times the initial cost of the feedstock and do not serve to address and the problems presented by the viscosity, PP, FF or energy content of glycerin. Applicant is unaware of any know use of glycerin as a biofuel or as a major component of a biofuel or biofuel composition, supplement of additive. This may be because of the high viscosity, low flash point, high pour point, and its relatively low btu content. It would be desirable to develop a fuel or fuel composition that can advantageously utilize crude or purified glycerin. Recently, a burner developed for a reportedly capable of burning glycerin directly has become available. However, use of this burner would require new equipment as opposed to the use of already existing combustion systems or burners.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is directed to a novel biofuel composition that can be put to various fuel related uses, such as a direct fuel, a component of a biofuel or blend, a fuel additive, a fuel supplement and as fuel for generation of power or electricity.

In an embodiment of the invention, the biofuel composition is comprised of glycerine, water and at least one alcohol.

In another embodiment of the invention, the biofuel composition consists essentially of glycerine, water and at least one alcohol.

In some embodiments of the invention, the at least one alcohol is an ethanol or a glycol. In some embodiments of the invention, the at least one alcohol is a glycol such as propylene glycol, ethylene glycol or a combination of the two glycols.

In an embodiment of the invention, the biofuel comprises glycerine, water and at least one alcohol and the glycerine is present in an amount ranging from about 40 wt. % to about 95 wt. %.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, the biofuel composition comprises glycerine, water and at least one alcohol with the glycerine being present in an amount ranging from about 40 wt. % to about 95 wt. %, and water and the alcohol each being present in amounts ranging from about 0.1% to about 35 wt. %.

In some embodiments of the invention, the biofuel composition can have a kinematic viscosity below 20 cSt @ 104° F./40° C.

In some embodiments of the invention, the biofuel composition can have a flash point at or above 37° C. (100° F.), or at or above 37° C. (100° F.) and below 60° C. (140° F.), or at or above 60° C. (140° F.), or at or above 60° C. (140° F.) and below 93° C. (200° F.), or at or above 99° C. (210° F.).

In some embodiments of the invention, the biofuel composition can have a pour point of below 17° C. (62° F.) or of about −24° C. (−112° F.).

In some other embodiments of the invention, the biofuel composition has a flash point at or above 37° C. (100° F.) and a pour point of below 17° C. (62° F.); and in yet some other embodiments, the biofuel composition has a flash point at or above 37° C. (100° F.) and a pour point of about −24° C. (−112° F.).

In an embodiment of the invention, a method of making a biofuel composition is provided. The method comprises the step of mixing glycerine, water and at least one alcohol.

In another embodiment of the invention, the method glycerine, water, and at least one alcohol are provided as components; and the mixing step comprises mixing the components together in any sequence to yield a solution, the solution being the biofuel composition.

In some methods according to embodiments of the invention, the method includes the step of pre-heating the glycerine prior to the mixing step.

In a further embodiment of the invention, a biofuel is provided. The biofuel of this embodiment comprises a biofuel composition, the biofuel composition being a solution comprised of glycerine, water, and at least one alcohol; and a liquid biofuel or liquid fuel. In some embodiments, the liquid biofuel or liquid fuel is selected from the group consisting of diesel, biodiesel, gasoline, pyrolysis oil, vegetable oil, oil from animal fat, synthetic oil, non-synthetic oil, waste oil. The biofuel composition can be present in an amount ranging from about 1 wt % to about 99 wt % of total weight of the biofuel according to some embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic of an embodiment of a process according to the present invention.

DETAILED TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION

The present invention generally provides biofuel compositions, particularly renewable biofuel compositions, and methods for making such compositions. Biofuel compositions according to embodiments of the invention may be used as an alternative fuel, a fuel supplement or fuel additive for heat or power generation in various applications or industry sector, e.g., utilities and diesel generators market. Biofuel compositions according to certain embodiments of the invention can be prepared without need for complicated chemical processes or equipment. The feedstock for the biofuel composition according to embodiments of the invention is glycerine which can be a byproduct and waste product of biodiesel production.

“Miscible fuels” means that when two or more constituents or compositions are combined the resulting mixture or blend is stable.

“Stable” or “stability” means that substantially no phase separation occurs in a composition as indicated by visual observation after a period following preparation of the emulsion of at least about 24 hours; preferably at least about 48 hours, more preferably at least about 72 hours; for example, substantially no phase separation is observable after about 4 days or more, at ambient temperatures suitable for use of the emulsified fuel composition in its directed application, for example use in burners, motor vehicles and the like. Alternatively, stability can be characterized by measuring sediment formation according to the test method ASTM D96 or ASTM D2709.

(TDS) Total Dissolved Solids are the total weight of all solids that are dissolved in a given volume of water, expressed in units of mg per unit volume of water (mg/L), also referred to as parts per million (PPM).

“Dissolved solids” refer to any minerals, salts, metals, cations or anions dissolved in water and includes anything present in water other than the pure water (H₂O) molecule and suspended solids. “Suspended solids” are any particles/substances that are neither dissolved nor settled in the water, such as wood pulp.

The term “flash point” generally refers to how easily a substance or composition, typically a fluid, may ignite or burn. The measurement of flash point is defined in test methods that are maintained by standardization bodies such as the Energy Institute in the UK, ASTM in the USA, CEN in Europe and ISO internationally. For example, for diesel fuel the procedure is defined in ASTM D975. The flash point of a fuel is essentially the lowest temperature at which vapors from a test portion combine with air to give a flammable mixture and “flash” when an ignition source is applied. Materials with higher flash points are less likely to ignite than those with lower flash points. For example, a flash point of 66° C. to 93° C. (150° F. to 200° F.) is considered to present a moderately low ignition hazard and a flash point of 38° C. to 66° C. (100° F. to 150° F.) is considered to present a moderate to high ignition hazard. For reference purposes, diesel fuel has a flash point of about 38° C. to 54° C. (100° F.-130° F.) and gasoline a flash point of about −40° C. to −46° C. (−40° F. to −50° F.). The flash point of a fuel is one property that needs to be considered in determining the suitability of a fuel composition for practical use.

“Flammable liquid” refers to any liquid having a flash point below 37° C. (100° F.). Such flammables are Class I liquids. “Combustible liquid” refers to any liquid having a flash point at or above 37° C. (100° F.). Combustible liquids are subdivided as follows: Class II liquids having a flash point at or above 37° C. (100° F.) and below 60° C. (140° F.); and Class III liquids having a flash point at or above 60° C. (140° F.) and below 93° C. (200° F.).

Compositions of the present invention, characterized for purposes of the present invention as biofuel compositions may also be referred to as a biofuel, alternatively fuel or renewable fuel depending upon the source of the constituents. Some biofuels or biofuel compositions according to the invention are suitable for use in internal combustion engines, preferably diesel engines of various configurations as well as in equipment that combusts fuels to generate heat, such as furnaces, boilers, power generating equipment and the like, including gas or combustion turbines.

Diesel engines that may be operated with compositions of the present invention include all compression-ignition engines for both mobile (including locomotive and marine) and stationary power plants. These include diesel engines of the two-stroke-per-cycle and four-stroke-per-cycle types. The diesel engines, include but are not limited to light and heavy duty diesel engines and on and off-highway engines, including new engines as well as in-use engines. The diesel engines include those used in automobiles, trucks, buses including urban buses, locomotives, stationary generators, and the like.

With regard to use in burners, the compositions are useful in different types of oil burners for domestic and other heating purposes including sleeve burners, natural-draft pot burners, force-draft pot burners, rotary wall flame burners, and air-atomizing and pressure-atomizing gun burners; with the latter type of burner being the most commonly used burner for home heating, particularly in the United States. Some biofuel compositions of the invention are useful fuels for diesel motors (both new and old generation) and/or boilers and single- or multi-step burners, also referred to in the art as staged burners.

Biofuel compositions according to some embodiments of the invention are comprised of glycerin, water and at least one alcohol. In other embodiments, the biofuel composition may be comprised solely or essentially of these three ingredients or constituents. These concentrations of these constituents in fuel compositions of the invention are express as weight percent (wt %) based on the total weight of the fuel composition. Typically, glycerin may be present in fuel compositions according to the invention in various amounts: for example, in an amount ranging from about 40 wt % to about 95 wt %. In some embodiments, the glycerin is present in an amount ranging from about 40 wt % to about 95 wt %, about 40 wt % to about 70 wt %, about 50 wt % to about 95 wt %, about 50 wt % to about 75 wt %, about 50 wt % to about 70 wt %, about 60 wt % to about 70 wt %, or about 65 wt % to about 75 wt %. In biofuel compositions according to the invention, water is present in an amount ranging from about 0.1 wt. % to about 35 wt %, and at least one alcohol is present in an amount ranging from about 0.1 wt % to about 35 wt %. In some embodiments, water or the alcohol (including mixtures of two or more alcohols) may be present in various amounts, for example, in amounts ranging from about 0.1 wt % to about 10 wt %; about 5 wt % to about 25 wt %, about 10 wt % to about 25 wt %, about 15 wt % to about 25 wt %, about 1 wt % to about 25 wt %, about 5 wt % to about 35 wt %, about 10 wt % to about 35 wt %, or 15 wt % to 35 wt % based on the total weight of the fuel composition. In some other embodiments, they may be present in amounts ranging from about 2 wt % to about 22 wt %; or about 3 wt % to about 20 wt %; or about 4 wt % to about 18 wt %; or about 5 wt % to about 20 wt %; or about 1 wt % to about 15 wt %; or about 1 wt % to about 10 wt %; or about 1 wt % to about 5 wt %; or about 2 wt % to about 6 wt %; alternatively, about 3 wt % to about 8 wt %.

Glycerine (also known as a glycerin or glycerol) in its crude or purified form may be utilized in preparing compositions according to the invention. Purified glycerin with various levels of purification may be used or at different percentages of the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) standard for glycerin (% USP). Glycerin can be obtained from various sources, including chemical manufacturers and biodiesel manufactures. Glycerol forms the backbone of triglycerides, and can be produced by saponification of animal fats, e.g., as a byproduct of soap-making. It also is a byproduct that is about 10% in vol of the production of biodiesel. It is also produced as a byproduct of refining of cooking and salad oils.

Water used in the composition and methods of the invention can be of varying purity and thus obtained from various source. One limiting factor would be the amount and size of suspended solids, but these can be removed or separated by filtration, other known separation techniques. TDS is generally not a significant consideration, except to the extent that the TDS level results in a biofuel composition having a level of one or more dissolved solids that would result in an emission of a regulated air pollutant that exceeds permit limits or standards in a given jurisdiction or country. However, the consideration not withstanding water of any TDS level can be utilized. For example, distilled water, deionized, filtered water, demineralized water, recycled process water and even waste water or partially treated waste water can be used. Additional, glycerine, particularly crude glycerine may contain a percentage of water. The water content of the glycerine will contribute to the overall water content of the final biofuel composition of the invention and should be factored in when determining the amount of water to be added to achieve the target wt % water in biofuel compositions according to embodiments of the invention.

Alcohols that may be used in the biofuel compositions of the present invention include mono-, di-, tri- and polyhydric alcohols. Examples of useful alcohols include hydroxyl-containing organic compounds selected from the group consisting of (A) monohydric (one OH group) alcohols characterized as (1) aliphatic, including straight and branched chain, and sub-characterized within this group as paraffinic (for example, ethanol) and olefinic (for example, allyl alcohol); (2) alicyclic (for example, cyclohexanol); (3) aromatic (for example, phenol, benzyl alcohol); (4) heterocyclic (for example, furfuryl alcohol); and (5) polycyclic (for example, sterols); (B) dihydric (two OH groups), including glycols and derivatives (for example, diols); (C) trihydric (three OH groups), including glycerol and derivatives; and (D) polyhydric (polyols), having three or four or more OH groups). In particular, useful alcohols include alcohols selected from the group consisting of C1 to C4 straight and branched chain monoalcohols, C2 to C4 mono- and polyalkylene glycols including ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, tripropylene glycol, derivatives of C2 to C4 mono- and polyalkylene glycols provided that the molecular weights of such polyalkylene glycols are suitable for use in the fuel compositions of the present invention, and mixtures thereof. Ethyl alcohol or ethanol and propylene glycol and ethylene gycol are particularly preferred in the compositions of the present invention in light of their ready availability and/or energy content.

Alcohols contribute to the energy content of biofuel compositions of the invention; and some alcohols, for example polyalcohols such as glycols, can increase the energy content of biofuel compositions of the invention. As a non-limiting example, propylene glycol has an energy content of 10,312 btu/lb, about 30% more than 99% USP glycerin and at least 60% more than 70% USP crude glycerin. The energy content of the alcohol or mixture of alcohols allows for the use of different alcohols in order to provide a fuel composition with a specific or suitable energy content with consideration of both the cost of the alcohol constituent and the final cost of the fuel composition.

The biofuel compositions of the present invention may be readily produced and introduced to into commerce at substantially lower costs than a diesel fuel of comparable energy content. In some markets, crude glycerin currently costs about $0.06 per pound. As an example, consider a biofuel composition of the invention having the following formulation: crude glycerin 80 wt %, water 15 wt %, and propylene glycol 5 wt %. With this formulation, the biofuel composition has a btu content is about 72,000 btu/gal at an approximate cost of about $1.00 per gallon of finished biofuel. A commercially available diesel product, #2 diesel has an energy content of about 138,000 btu/gal, at a cost of $2.30 per gallon. The example biofuel composition would have a gross margin of about $0.20 per gallon or $0.40 per gallon compared to diesel on the same btu basis. Biofuels according to the invention may be eligible for the $0.050 per pound tax credit for renewable fuels.

Illustrated in FIG. 1, the process or method for preparing biofuel compositions according to the invention involves simple mixing of the three components or ingredients, glycerine, water and alcohol. As the three components are miscible in any combination or order and the resulting mixture is a stable liquid solution. The biofuel composition does not separate into phases or the separate components. In methods according to embodiments of the invention, glycerine and water can be mixed together and then the alcohol added to the mixture; or glycerine and alcohol can be mixed together and then the water added to the mixture; or alcohol and water can be mixed together and the glycerine added to the mixture; or all three components can be mixed together at the same time. Thus, it should be understood that biofuel compositions according to embodiments of the invention can be produced regardless of the sequence in which the three components are combined in or introduced into mixing equipment.

The method of the invention may be carried out using conventional equipment, including mixing devices, storage and dispensing container, vats and the like. Suitable mixing devices include any of those known in the art to be useful for mixing solutions, liquids or flowable components. One skilled in the art can readily design and assemble suitable equipment for mixing biofuel compositions of the invention, including commercially available vats, containers, and batch or continuous flow mixing systems. If the glycerine is provided in high viscosity form, it may be necessary to heat the glycerine in order for it to be flowable. However, if the biofuel composition is produced at the same facility where biodiesel fuels are produced, the glycerine byproduct may be the source and may be flowable without addition of heat if conveyed directly for production of biofuel compositions according to embodiments of the invention.

Some embodiments of biofuel compositions according to the invention may be used directly as a fuel or as a fuel additive or supplement when mixed with or combined with another fuel source. For example, some biofuel compositions according to the invention may be added or mixed with solid or liquid fuels such as biomass, wood chips or pellets, diesel, biodiesel, vegetable oils, animal fats or oils, pyrolysis oils, gasoline and the like. For example, biodiesel or diesel may be added to compositions of the invention to raise the energy content or to mitigate the emission profile of the neat diesel or biodiesel, to mitigate cost or price or pH, e.g., of pyrolysis oil. In order to mix a biofuel composition according to the invention with another liquid fuel, the liquid fuel must be miscible with the fuel composition. Examples of such miscible, liquid fuels include, but are not limited to, petroleum based fuels and other biofuel compositions, e.g., biodiesel. While not necessarily regarded as a fuel, esters or polyolefins formed as a byproduct of processes such as lubricant production may also be mixed and combusted with some biofuel compositions of the invention.

In some embodiments of the invention, the biofuel composition may have a flash point that >99° C. (210° F.) as compared to crude glycerine, allowing the biofuel composition to be classified as combustible rather than flammable. This classification can result in cost savings relative to facility permitting and requirements for storage of flammables at production plants or other facilities. At higher flash points, biofuel compositions according to the invention may be considered for uses or markets other than power or electricity generation, e.g., marine uses where fuel standards require a FP >60° C. (140° F.). As shown in Example 2 (10.31 cSt) and Example 3 (12.66 cSt) later below, viscosities below 20 cSt @ 40° C. (15.34 cSt) can be attained with some embodiments of the invention. Viscosities below this threshold level are compliant with GE Gas Turbine Fuel Specification (GEI 41047K) for high pressure air atomizing systems. For some embodiments, the biofuel composition may have a pour point of −24° C., making it suitable for very low temperature and severe cold weather condition. Using biofuel compositions according to some embodiments can result in reductions in the NOx and SOx emissions by a minimum of 45% versus diesel #2 and by a minimum of 15% versus crude glycerine because of the water and alcohol concentrations in the fuel mixture. The water and alcohol may also dilute the impurities or contaminants present in crude glycerin helping to prevent or ameliorate the clogging of fuel nozzles or injectors. Further, compositions of the invention can be burned or utilized in existing combustion systems or burners without need for modification of nozzles or other special modification or purchase of new equipment.

As previously mentioned, the relative quality of glycerine, particularly crude glycerine, can vary widely from producer to producer, plant to plant and lot to lot resulting in glycerine have different specs, level of contaminants or impurities. However, with the process of the invention, it is possible to determine the wt % of glycerine, water and alcohol needed to obtain a biofuel composition having target levels of the contaminants of interest or target level of purity. It is also possible to consistently produce fuel compositions with similar characteristics using glycerine feedstocks of different quality. The specs of a glycerine are either provided by the producer or may be determined by laboratory testing.

Below are presented three typical analyses of crude glycerine produced as a byproduct from three different biodiesel processes or producers, Case A, Case B and Case C:

Case A: This crude glycerine had 16.743 wt % water and 70.45% USP. METHOD TEST RESULT UNITS ASTM D 874 Ash, Sulfated 9.111 Wt-% ASTM D 4052 Spec Gravity @ 60/60 F. 1.2510 ASTM D 4052 Density at 15 ¦C., modified 1.2503 g/mL ASTM D 240 Gross Heat of Combustion 5924 Btu/lb USP XXVII Water Content 16.743 Wt-% USP XXVII Purity 70.45 Wt-% ASTM D 1613 Acidity Acid number 0.019 mgKOH/g USP XXVII Organic Volatile Impurities Pass EN ISO 3104 Kinematic Viscosity, 40° C. Kinematic Viscosity, 40¦C. 35.10 Cst EN ISO 20846 Sulfur by UV Fluorescence 2 mg/kg EN 14110 Methanol 0.26 % m/m

Case B: This crude glycerine had 0.178 wt % water and 70.15% USP METHOD TEST RESULT UNITS ASTM D 56 Flashpoint Tag - closed cup <27.0 ° C. IP 309 Cold Filter Plugging Point >23 ° C. ASTM D 874 Ash, Sulfated 4.380 Wt-% ASTM D 4052 Spec Gravity @ 60/60 F. 1.1578 ASTM D 4052 Density at 15 ¦C., modified 1.1572 g/Ml ASTM D 240 Gross Heat of Combustion 8073 Btu/lb USP XXVII Water Content 0.178 Wt-% USP XXVII Purity 70.15 Wt-% ASTM D 1613 Acidity Acid Number <0.1 MgKOH/g USP XXVII Organic Volatile Impurities Pass EN ISO 3104 Kinematic Viscosity, 40° C. Kinematic Viscosity, 40¦C. 44.84 Cst EN ISO 20846 Sulfur by UV Fluorescence 1 mg/kg EN 14110 Methanol 1.31 % m/m EN 14538 Group I metals (Na + K) 11344 mg/kg

Case C: This crude glycerine has 0.245 wt % water and 65.45% USP. METHOD TEST RESULT UNITS ASTM D 56 Flashpoint Tag - closed cup <27.0 ° C. IP 309 Cold Filter Plugging Point >23 ° C. ASTM D 874 Ash, Sulfated 3.873 Wt-% ASTM D 4052 Spec Gravity @ 60/60 F. 1.1487 ASTM D 4052 Density at 15 ¦C., modified 1.1483 g/mL ASTM D 240 Gross Heat of Combustion 8084 Btu/lb USP XXVII Water Content 0.245 Wt-% USP XXVII Purity 64.24 Wt-% ASTM D 1613 Acidity ASTM D 1613 Acidity Acid Number <0.1 mgKOH/g USP XXVII Organic Volatile Impurities Pass EN ISO 3104 Kinematic Viscosity, 40° C. Kinematic Viscosity, 40¦C. 65.45 cst EN ISO 20846 Sulfur by UV Fluorescence 1 mg/kg EN 14110 Methanol 1.62 % m/m EN 14538 Group I metals (Na + K) 16475 mg/kg

Example 1

A sample biofuel composition was prepared by mixing the three components in the following weight percent: glycerin 70 wt %, water 20 wt %, propylene glycol 10 wt %. A one pound sample was prepared with each ingredient being measured and provided in weight amount corresponding to their respective weight percent. The glycerine was placed in a large beaker. The water and glycol were mixed together in another beaker and then poured into the beaker of glycerine. The components were mixed for approximately 3 minutes to produce the biofuel composition. Below the results of analyses of the biofuel composition of Example 1 are presented and the test methodology is indicated.

Example 1 Results of Analyses

Method Test Result Units ASTM Density of Liquids by 1.1876 D4052 Digital Density Meter Relative Density @ 15.56/15.56° C. ASTM Pensky-Martens Closed >110° C. D93 Cup Flash Point Procedure Used A Corrected Flash Point ASTM Kinematic/Dynamic Viscosity 15.34 mm²/s (15.34 cSt) D445 Kinematic Viscosity @ 104° F./40° C. ASTM Heat of Combustion by Bomb 6953 BTU/lb D240 Calorimeter Gross BTU - LB ASTM Pour Point of Petroleum −24° C. (−11.2° F.) D97 Products-Pour Point

Example 2

A sample biofuel composition was prepared by mixing the three components in the following weight percent: glycerin 70 wt %, water 20 wt %, cda ethanol 10 wt %. A one pound sample was prepared with each ingredient being measured and provided in weight amount corresponding to their respective weight percent. The glycerine was placed in a large beaker. The water and cda alcohol were mixed together in another beaker and then poured into the beaker of glycerine. The components were mixed for approximately 3 minutes to produce the biofuel composition. The Kinematic Viscosity @ 104° F./40° C. of this biofuel was reported 10.31 cSt, the Heat of Combustion by Bomb calorimeter Gross BT-LB was reported 5,835 btu/lb and the specific gravity @15.5°/60° F. was reported 1.142.

Example 3

A sample biofuel composition was prepared by mixing the three components in the following weight percent: glycerin 70 wt %, water 20 wt %, ethylene glycol 10 wt %. A one pound sample was prepared with each ingredient being measured and provided in weight amount corresponding to their respective weight percent. The glycerine was placed in a large beaker. The water and ethylene glycol were mixed together in another beaker and then poured into the beaker of glycerine. The components were mixed for approximately 3 minutes to produce the biofuel composition. The Kinematic Viscosity @ 104° F./40° C. of this biofuel was reported 12.66 cSt, the Heat of Combustion by Bomb calorimeter Gross BTU-LB was reported 5,508 btu/lb.

The fuel composition of Example 1 has a flash point>110° C. (230° F.), well above the required FP for marine fuels and a pour point much improved over that of glycerine alone. The fuel compositions of Example 2 and of Example 3 have viscosities below 15 cSt. Viscosities below 20 cSt are compliant with GE Gas Turbine Fuel Specification (GEI 41047K) for high pressure air atomizing systems.

Various modifications and alterations of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention, and it should be understood that this invention is not to be unduly limited to the illustrative embodiments set forth herein. 

1. A biofuel composition, the composition comprising glycerine, water and at least one alcohol.
 2. The biofuel composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one alcohol comprises ethanol or a glycol.
 3. The biofuel composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one alcohol comprises propylene glycol, ethylene glycol or a combination of the two glycols.
 4. The biofuel composition of claim 1, wherein glycerine is present in an amount ranging from about 40 wt. % to about 95 wt. %.
 5. The biofuel composition of claim 1, wherein glycerine is present in an amount ranging from about 40 wt. % to about 95 wt. %, and water and the alcohol are each present in amounts ranging from about 0.1% to about 35 wt. %.
 6. The biofuel composition of claim 1, wherein the composition has a kinematic viscosity below 20 cSt @ 104° F./40° C.
 7. The biofuel composition of claim 1, wherein the composition has a flash point at or above 37° C. (100° F.).
 8. The biofuel composition of claim 1, wherein the composition has a flash point at or above 37° C. (100° F.) and below 60° C. (140° F.).
 9. The biofuel composition of claim 1, wherein the composition has a flash point at or above 60° C. (140° F.).
 10. The biofuel composition of claim 1, wherein the composition has a flash point at or above 60° C. (140° F.) and below 93° C. (200° F.).
 11. The biofuel composition of claim 1, wherein the composition has a flash point at or above 99° C. (210° F.)
 12. The biofuel composition of claim 1, wherein the composition has a pour point of below 17° C. (62° F.).
 13. The biofuel composition of claim 1, wherein the composition has a pour point of about −24° C. (−112° F.).
 14. The biofuel composition of claim 1, wherein the composition has a flash point at or above 37° C. (100° F.) and a pour point of below 17° C. (62° F.).
 15. The biofuel composition of claim 1, wherein the composition has a flash point at or above 37° C. (100° F.) and a pour point of about −24° C. (−112° F.).
 16. A method of making a biofuel composition, the method comprising the step of mixing glycerine, water and at least one alcohol.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein glycerine, water, and at least one alcohol are provided as components; and the mixing step comprises mixing the components together in any sequence to yield a solution, the solution being the biofuel composition.
 18. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of pre-heating the glycerine prior to the mixing step.
 19. A biofuel, comprising a biofuel composition, the biofuel composition being a solution comprised of glycerine, water, and at least one alcohol; and a liquid biofuel or liquid fuel.
 20. The biofuel of claim 19, wherein the liquid fuel is selected from the group consisting of diesel, biodiesel, gasoline, pyrolysis oil, vegetable oil, oil from animal fat, synthetic oil, non-synthetic oil, waste oil.
 21. The biofuel of claim 19, wherein the biofuel composition is present in an amount ranging from about 1 wt % to about 99 wt % of total weight of the biofuel. 